Sony wants to make the Killzone franchise a force to be reckoned with. Launching first on the PlayStation 2, Sony fans were proclaiming the franchise as the Halo killer. Fast forward to Killzone 3 on the PlayStation 3 and it seems gamers are starting to the find the franchise stagnant and full of wasted opportunities. Whilst the graphics were in a league of their own, the common frustration was the fact that Guerrilla Games were failing to utilise the rich lore and history that surrounds the franchise.

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So what better way to rejuvenate the franchise and start from scratch than to launch alongside the PlayStation 4. Killzone: Shadow Fall represents a bold new direction for the franchise with stunning next generation graphics and effects, new cast of characters and weapons and a entirely new multiplayer system. Killzone: Shadow Fall is the game to show off your PlayStation 4.

Shadow Fall is set 30 years after the end of Killzone 3. The results of Killzone 3 means that the Vektans and the Helgast are living on the planet Vekta separated by a towering wall that encompasses the planet. After an uncomfortable peace treaty that has lasted for years, tensions are finally at fever pitch and plans are set in motion for the Helgast to fight back. You play as Shadow Marshal Lukas Kellan, whose job is to go behind enemy lines to the heart of threat and eliminate it by any means necessary. This new direction in character means that instead of being a grunt soldier like in previous games, Lukas Kellan uses advanced technology and skills to approach the ever changing objective of the game. This new direction of character also allows Guerrilla to explore the Killzone franchise in a more personal way. Gone are the huge war torn battlefields of Helgan, in are the industrial backstreets of New Helgan and the lush forests of Vekta.

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Although the story is great for the most part, I felt that by the end it had turned into another overused revenge plot. The beginning and middle of the game have perfect  pacing and good character progression but the latter part of the story seemed rushed with some odd mechanics thrown in just to make the game appear different than previous iterations in the franchise.  The game is plagued with patchy voice work especially from the main character himself. The other main character Echo is brilliantly played and voice acted and she brings a welcome change to the usual harsh English accents and personalities of the Helgast we are used to hearing.  Overall while the story falls apart in the last part of the game, this is a fantastic new direction for the franchise and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

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One thing Shadow Falls excels at it is the visuals. This game is absolutely stunning and every environment is dripping with detail and beautiful effects. Guerrilla Games are masters at visual fidelity and pushing boundaries when it comes to graphics and technology and Shadow Fall is no exception. At nearly every turn I was pressing the share button to record videos and take screenshots of the game, it just looks that good. Shadow Falls new direction has also helped Guerrilla Games get the best out of the engine. Gone are browns and blacks of old Killzone and in are the greens and blues of Vekta. This games palette is wonderfully varied and even in the industrial heavy New Helgan, there is still beauty to be seen. Unlike the corridors of older games in the franchise, Shadow Falls environments are open and the player can navigate the varied landscapes using either stealth or all out warfare.  Animations have also been taken to a new level. Facial animations and character models both look incredible. Character movements and the way they interact with the environment in real time is all done seamlessly. Guerrilla Games should be commended for getting a launch title to look this good and retain the level of polish as any AAA title.

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For Killzone fans the gameplay mechanics will feel familiar yet the new additions to Shadow fall will feel welcome for hardcore and new players alike. Being a Shadow Marshall, you have various tools at your disposal,  most notable your friendly AI flying robot. O.W.L. is an indispensible tool that is essential for defeating your enemies and hacking into various computers, switches and alarms. O.W.L. which is controlled using the touch pad on the dualshock 4, can be used to kill enemies, launch an EMP, hack into various devices and help you navigate the open environments. I found this addition to be great for the franchise and it helps in breaking up pace of the game and allows the player to use different types of tactics to approach each scenario. By the end of the game I did feel O.W.L. was a useful device to have but having to use it to constantly to hack into terminals or computers was becoming tedious  and unnecessary.  One important change to the gameplay is the weight of the various weapons. In previous games, the weapons had a real life weight to them which some players found to slow the game down a lot. In Shadow Fall the weight is gone and every weapon is snappy and responsive to the players button presses. The variety in weapons is also a surprise. All the old favourites such as the M82 assault rifle have been scrapped and have been replaced by new and even deadlier weapons of varying size and functions.

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A staple of the Killzone franchise has always been its multiplayer component. In Shadow Fall the multiplayer has seen a drastic overhaul with Guerrilla trying to rid the genre of the mundane tropes we have become accustomed to from the last generation. Guerrilla Games has done away with experience points altogether and now multiplayer is all about skill. From the moment you enter the multiplayer part of Shadow Fall every weapon and ability available to the player is unlocked. This was bold move by the developers but it paid off in spades. Instead of grinding to get to the best weapon, players can simply choose their favourite weapon  and abilities and go to town. Instead of XP, players now complete challenges which when completed successfully can unlock additions to your weapons. This creates an extra layer of tension in the already crazy world of Killzone multiplayer. For new players to the franchise, Shadows Falls multiplayer will seem fresh. This is not Call of Duty or Battlefield, Shadow Fall is a team based shooter. Players pick from 3 classes, a scout which is primarily a sniper class, assault which is an assault rifle class and a support class which is a heavy weapons class that can use drones or turrets. The 3 classes are vastly different to each other with having their own set of useful abilities to help the player.

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Shadow Fall consists of numerous modes and the fan favourite warzone is present thankfully and is as hectic and fast as ever. Players will be happy to know that the multiplayer component in Shadow runs at a crisp 1080p at 60 frames per second and the graphics are just as good as single player component. With free DLC and maps packs coming soon, multiplayer will be sure to keep players interested in the game for a long time.

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Killzone: Shadow Fall is the not the reinvention Guerrilla Games and their fans were hoping for but it as an excellent first step for the future of the franchise. They took the criticisms on board and acted upon them whilst successfully changing up the multiplayer component for the better. It was bold move but it paid off in the end. While the storyline is good, it does fall apart near the end but it leaves questions unanswered that will hopefully be addressed in future titles. As said above, Shadow Fall is the greatest looking game around right now. The visuals are just stunning and it cannot be iterated enough.  If you want a game with excellent multiplayer and breathtaking visuals pick up Killzone: Shadow Fall right now.

 

80/100

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